Rail-joint.



UNITED STATES PATENT' oEEIoE.

JACOB n. sTULL, onnanmonr, omo.

BAIL-J' 01N T.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Patented May29, 191 *7.

Application led February 27, 1917. Serial N o. 151,206.

the art Ito which it appertainsto make-and use thesame.

This invention relates to lnew and useful improvements lin rail joints and the primary object `of the invention is to provide a" speciallyfdesi ed type of chair capable of easily and securxy connecting the ends of the rail, and `so connected as `to enable certain parts of the chair to be `easily removed for making repairs, or for any other purpose.

"One object of the invention `is toV provide a new and improved 4construction oit' rail joint equipped with means capable of tighter1-ing the lparts automatically when the rail joint is subjected to jarring and vibration whereby any loosening of the parts will-be taken up.

Another'object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will be very -eici'ent -in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view, lmy invention consists of the novel features of construction; combination and arrangement of parts which will bef'herein referred yto and more particularly pointed out inthe specification and cl-aims In the laccompanying drawings Figure l is a perspective view of the rail jointinuse; Y

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line Fig. 3 j-is'adetail perspective view of the locking wedge member;4

Fig. 4 Vis a detail perspective vlew yof a mod-iitied form of the bolt having a lock washer applied thereon and the Lear being termed withoutteeth; y

Figs.` 45 and i6 are vertical sectional views showing 'modified .forms of locking wedge members. i

4 The rail joint comprises 1n its construction a :rail t.chair Iconstructed `of cast metal,

or roth/er suitable material and `having 'a' horizontal bottom portion or base 1 and pmovided with laterally spaced npstandrng walls 2 and 3 adjacent its opposite sides. The projecting wall 2 extends inwardly and upwardly as shown at 4, and is so constructed 'that the same is adapted to form anjintegral fish plate 5, adapted to be positioned against one side of the rails that are positioned within the chair.

The projecting wall 3 of the chair is formed integral therewith but does not extend inwardly, and this chair is provided withpa separate ish' plate 6, which is adapted l to "be positioned between the wall 3 and the adjacent side of the rails in the chair, in such relation that its outer side 7 is spaced laterally from the inner side 8 of said wall. This inner side 8 of the wa'll is inclined longitudinally for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described. The separate fish vplate 6 is of sufiicient' thickness so as to form a substantial support for the sidesI ofthe rails and extends from the head to the *flange of said rails, as clearly shown Fig. 1- of the drawings. The outer wall 7 and the inclined inner wall 8 of the plate land wall respectively, are grooved longi? spaced from -each other, I provide the wall 3 with an upwardly projecting lug 11 on the-top of the same, adjacent'one end. Projecting laterally "rorn the top of the iish plate I6 adjacent the outer side 7 of the same is anintegral arm 12, that extends across the space vbetween the plate and wall 3, and

is adapted when the plate is oppositely spaced from the wall to engage the stop lug 11, -thereby locking the plate in position and preventing the same from moving forwardly any further. The purpose of this lock yincluding the lstop lug 11 -and arm 12 is to prevent longitudinal movement of the fish :plate 6 while a' locking member comprisin a wedge block 13 is driven into position etween the plate and stationary wall.

The wedge block 13 has one side liat and positioned against lthe other side of the fish plate 6, but the lside of said wedge is inclined `fso that it :cooperates with :the ,in-l

clinedside 8 of the wall 3, to bring about the required wedging action to securely lock the parts together. This wedge block 13 is slightly longer than the plate or. wall 3 and when in position its rear end 14 will project therefrom as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawin s. The wedge block 13 has its opposite si es provided with projecting rib members 15 and 16 which are correspondingly shaped to the grooves in the plate and wall respectively, and which are adapted to engage the same when the wedge block 1s driven in position to prevent vertical movement of the block. This block is also h eld against vertical movementby the projectlng arm 12 of the fish plate that extends across the top of the same.

To securely lock the wedge block 13 in position between the plate 6 and wall 3 of the chair, the projecting rear end 14 of said block is provided with a laterally extend ing apertured ear 17, that is disposed adjacent the end of the wall 3. The plate or wall 3 has a recess 18 in its upper face at a point near the end adjacent the apertured ear 17, thereby leaving at said end a portion 19 which is apertured, so that when the wedge.v block 13 isin position a headed locking bolt 2O is adapted to be positioned through the apertures in these parts and to be `secured therein to securely lock the block to the wall and prevent the block from being retracted or released.

lThe bolt 2O has mounted on its free end thatis disposed within the recess 18 a locking nut 21, and positioned between the nut 21 and the portion 19 on the wall and surrounding the bolt is a coiled spring 22. The lower surface of the headed portion of the bolt 20 is provided with a plurality of teeth 23 thereon to engage the teeth 23 on the outer wall of the ear 17, or positioned be tween the same and the outer surface of the ear 17 as shown in a modified form I may use a spring locking washer 24, that has one end adapted for engagement with the teeth and the other positioned in a recess 25 in said ear. Either of these means will securely lock the bolt in position and will prevent the same -from rotating. The coiled spring 22 will lexert a constant tension on the bolt, and consequently will tend to throw the block 13 further into position, thereby compensating for the loosening of the parts due to the jarring vibration to which the chair is subjected. This will automatically tighten up the loose parts by driving the Wedge block 13 further into position and will prevent the separate parts of the chair from working loose.

The base 1 of the chair is provided adjacent the opposite ends of the rails disposed therein with openings 26 therethrough that are adapted to allow` fastening members 27 to be driven therethrough, and .hence into the tiel on which the chair is positioned.

These members are driven through the base to the chair before the separate fish plate 6 and wedge block are placed in locked relation, and to allow the separate fish plate 6 to easily slide in position over the projecting head portions, each of these fastening means is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 28 which allows said plate to easily slide over the heads, which will be positioned within this groove. The chair is additionally held in position by fastening members which are driven through the notched portions 29 on the opposite sides of the chair. j

, In Figs. '5 and 6 of the drawing I have shown end views of the chair in locked posi` tion illustrating additional types of locking means between the opposite sides of the wedge block and the outer side of the fish plate and inner side of the stationary up right wall 3. In Fig. 5 of the drawing the Wedge block is provided with substantially concaved opposite sides 30, and into these sides are adapted to fit the projecting con-v veXed outer side 31 of the fish plate 6, and inner side 31 of the wall 3. Fig. 6 shows a slightly different type whereby the fish plate 6 is provided with a rib 32 having flat sides, and adapted to be positioned in a correspondingly shaped groove 33 in the adja- Cent side of the wedge block while the other side of said block has a spaced triangular shaped in cross section rib 34 adapted to be positioned in `a correspondingly shaped groove 35 in the inner side of the wall 3 of the chair. The employment of any of these types of interlocking fastening means will prevent vertical movement .of the wedge block 13 when in operative positio'n.

The parts of the device may be easily assembled by positioning the chair on the tie, and placing the opposite ends of the rails therein, with o ne side of the same against the integral fish plate 5 which is formed with the chair. When in this position the separate fish plate 6 on the opposite side of the rail is then moved into position, the interlocking stop members 11 and'12 limiting the movement and owing to the width of this plate, a space will be left between its outer side and the projecting wall 3 at this side of the-chair. Thel wedge block 13 is then positioned in this space and by the herein described various locking means, this block will be held against vertical movement and the separate plate will be also held stationary when the block is being driven between the same and the wall 3. When the wedge block is in position, the bolt 20 connects the rear end of the block with the wall 3 in the manner hereinbefore fully. described, thereby securely locking the block in position between the plate and wall and preventing .the lsame from being retracted.' Thespring tension used in the connecting nobjects of the bolt automatically tightens the block in' position when the parts lbecome worn due to the constant jarring and vibration to which these types of devices are subjected. The block 13 will always be tightly wedged between the separate plate and the "stationary wall, and the joint will be tightl locked. Upon releasing the connecting bo t 2O the parts of the device may beeasily detached and the rails uickly removed.

From the `construction and operation of my improved rail joint the manner of applying the same to use, and the o eration thereof, will be readily understoo and it will be seen that I have provided a simple and eiiicient device of this character for carrying out the invention.-

I claim:

1. A railway chair comprising a base having laterally s aced upstanding walls formed in one piece therewith, one of said walls eX- tending inwardly to form a fish late, the other wall being longitudinally inc ined with respect to the first named wall, a separate fish plate adapted to be positioned in spaced relation with respect to the inclined wall for engaging the track rail, a wedge block adapted tobe positioned between said fish plate and the inclined wall, interengaging locking means on the sides of said block to prevent vertical movement of the block, a removable fastening member adjustably connecting one end of said block and the inclined wall, and cooperating locking means to hold the separate fish plate stationary n spaced relation with the inclined wall when the wedge block is being driven in position.

2. A railway chair comprising'a base having laterally spaced upstanding walls formed in` one piece therewith, one of said walls extending inwardly to form a fish plate, the other wall being longitudinally inclined with respect to the first named wall, a separate fish plate adapted to be positioned in spaced relation with respect to the inclined wall for engaging the track rail, said plate'being of a corresponding length therewith, a wedge block adapted to be positioned between said fish plate and the inclined wall, interengaging locking means on the sides of said' block to prevent vertical movement of the block, a removable fastening member adjustably connecting one end of said block and the inclined wall, andstop members carried by said separate locking plate and Wall adapted for coperative engagement to hold the plate stationary when the wedge block is being driven in position.

3. A railway chair comprising a base hav-y Copies of this patent may be obtained for oregoing description of they ing laterally spaced upstanding walls formed in one piece therewith, one of said walls extending inwardl to form a fish plate, the other wall belng longitudinally inclined with respect to the first named wall, a separate fish plate adapted to be positioned in spaced relation with respect to the inclined wall for engaging the track rail, said plate being of a corresponding length therewith, a wedge block adapted tobe ositioned between said fish late and the inc ined wall, interengaging locking means on the sides of said block to prevent Vertical movement of the block, a removable fastening member adjustably connecting one end of said block and the inclined wall, Aan upwardly projecting lug on the top lof the inclined wall and a laterally projecting arm 'on the top of said separate fish plate adapted to engage the lug when the 'plate is oppositely disposed from said wall whereby the plate will be held stationary when the wedge block is driven -in position.

4. A railway chair comprising a base having laterally spaced upstanding walls formed' in one piece therewith, one of said walls extending inwardly to form a fish plate, the other wall being longitudinally inclined with respect tothe first named wall, a separate fish plate adapted to be positioned in spaced relation with respect to the inclined wall for engaging the track rail, a wedge block adapted to be positioned between said fish late and the inclined wall, interengaging ocking means to hold the separate fish plate in spaced relation with the wall when the wedge block is being placed in position, locking means on the sides of said block adjacent the wall and plate to prevent 'vertical movement of the block, `a laterally projecting apertured ear on one end of said block or ear, said ear havin teeth on its outer wall,

a portion on the ad] acent end of the inclined the nut and the projecting portion ofthe inclined wall.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JACOB H. STULL. Witnesses:

A. L. ENGRAM, Mrs. J. C. Soo'i'r.

ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

